Wax spreader



April 18, 1961 G. H. WALLIS 2,979,756

WAX SPREADER Filed oct. s, 1959 INV EN TOR.

wel??? if M@ United States Patent O WAX SPREADER George H. Wallis, P.0. Box 177, Barrington, Ill. Filed oct. s, 1959, ser. No. 845,180

s claims. (cl. 1s-s46) This invention relates to a liquid wax spreader for oors. Y

The principal object of this invention is to spread a. self-polishing liquid wax and wipe it just once to provide a uniform thickness of wax on a iloor, and particularly a thin coating of wax. Maintenanceof oors, such as the various plastic tile iloors, in establishments where there is heavy foot traic as well as movements of various types of vehicles such as grocery carts and pallets for loading commodities on shelves in chain stores, calls for washing the floor at least twice a week and waxing at least once. Many times, this is done much more frequently as the wax protects the door.

The first specific object of this invention is to apply liquid wax along a line under pressure so that it immediately penetrates the crevices in the fioor and then tov Wipe the wax once by a pad under selected pressure. The pressure on the pad will largely control the thickness of the wax left on the surface.

An object ancillary to the foregoing is to eliminate the effect of changes in weight of the spreader during application. A spreader has a wax reservoir, and whether the wax is under pressure or not, as the reservoir empties, it becomes lighter. If the weight of the reservoir has anything to do with the applicator pad, it will apply a thicker lm of wax as the reservoir gets lighter. A feature of applicants spreader is mounting a pressure tank for liquid wax on a two-wheel frame with the wax applicator and spreading pad independently suspended on a bracket so that the downward pressure on the pad is constant because the weight of the bracket does not vary.

Another object of the invention is to relate the wax- .spreading and pad carriage adjustably to the frame so that the operator may draw the spreader along the floor at whatever angle is natural for him. A feature of the invention is a ratchet device on the bracket carrying the spreader for setting its angle with respect to the main carriage at any of several points.

Another object of the invention is to arrange a finger control for a wax applicator valve, and a finger control for the bracket carrying the spreader adjacent a handle so that an operator can pull the spreader and control both wax and pressure to meet the particular needs, i.e., open iloor against moving under a counter.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spray tube and pad extending laterally beyond the limits of the frame so that waxing may be done under counters.

These and such other objects as may hereinafter appear are attained in the embodiment of the invention show in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of the wax spreader, in operating position;

Figure 2 is a back view of the machine, showing es-v pecially the manual controls;

Figure 3 shows a side view ofthe machine in a rest position, with a section along the line 3-3 of Figure 1,

of the adjustable arms;

2,979,756. Patented Apr. 18, 1961` ICS Figure 4 shows an arm with a ratchet and `a spray rod attachment; and

Figure 5 is a side section of the spreader pad.

As shown in Figure 1, the frame comprises essentially a U-shaped tubular bar 1, the lower ends of which are secured to an axle 2. A wheel 22 is mounted on each end of the axle 2. A handle 3 is mounted on the upper part of the frame. Upper and lower arcuate bands'4 and 5 form a cradle for a pressure tank 8. At the base of the frame is positioned a circular pan 6 with a narrow rim, and the Whole is supported on the axle l2. The tank 8 removably rests on the pan 6 and against the bands 4 and 5. The tank 8 is held in the cradle by brackets and wing bolt assemblies 17. A support 7, being a tube attached to the pan 6,- holds the whole upright when the weight is canted forwardly of the axle 2.

The liquid reservoir comprises a cylindrical tank 8, having on the uppermost surface a funnel 9 housing the handle 10 of a handA pump (not shown) located within the tank, but removable by a twist ofthe handle. By removing the handle 10, liquid wax may be poured into the tank.` A removable top 11, secured by clampsvlZ to the tank, allows cleaning of` the tank. A pressure gauge 13. adjacent to said funnel, projecting through the removabletop into the tankV is provided. A delivery tube (not shown) V.within the tank, extending from near the bottomof Vthe tank upwardly connects with' a nipple'14 in the top and to a delivery tube or hose 15 leading downwards to a valve 16 which controls ow of wax into a liexible hose 28.

Referring to Figure 3, two arms 18 project forwardly from the axle and with cross brace 25 form a bracket. As shown in Figure 4, a pivoted lock arm 23 fixes the arms 18 to the axle and allows for the easy detachment of the bracket from the frame. Formed integrally with each arm is a ratchet having notches 19. The notches 19 are so positioned as to engage a pawl 20 sliding in brackets 21 mounted on each leg of the tubular U-bar.

Mounted on the arms 18 forward of the axle 2 is an lelongated spray tube 26, parallel to the axle and laterally projecting beyond the narrow wheeled frame, with numerous downwardly directed ports 50. The hose 28 connects to a uid coupling 27 opening into the spray tube 26. A removable eye bolt 46 holds the spray tube 26 on the underside of each arm 18.

At the outer ends of the arms 18 and coextensive lat erally with the spray tube is detachably mounted a wax spreader 29. As shown in Figure 5, the spreader consists'of two plywood strips 31 and 32 between whose longitudinal lengths is clamped a piece of lambswool 33 drawn over a compression pad, usually of rubber, 30.

Returning to Figure 3, a finger control comprises two rods 35 and 36 with ring grips. The linger grips are positioned immediately below the handle 3 on a bracket 37. The rod 35 extends downward and is attached to a lever 38 which functions the valve mechanism 16. This valve controls the ow of wax from the tank 8 to theV spreader tube 26. The valve 16 is mounted on a bracket 39 to one leg of the U-bar.

Referring to FigureZ, the second rod 36 extends downward through a groove 40 on the Aupper band 4 to one arm of a double bell crankY lever 41, centrally pivoted on the lower of the two bands 5. Two links 42 are connected tothe ends of this lever 41 and are connected respectively to bell crank levers 43, pivotally mounted on opposite ends of the band 5. The second arm of each of the two bell crank levers 43 is. connected to a rod 44 having the lower portion bent to act as a pawl 2t) to engage notches in the ratchet 19. By said successive levers and'rods, the inside rod 36 controls the movement Yof the two pawls 20. A spiral spring 45 enclosed in each bracket 21 urges the rods 43 and 44 downwardly soas to engage the de sired notch of the ratchets 19, until withdrawn by the lifting of the innermost plunger rod by the finger grip. Since the ratchets govern the spreader arms, the raising and lowering of the spreader and the spray tube, orrconversely, the raising and lowering of the Vwheeled frame, is` easily done'. A Y Y VHaving thusV described his invention, what applicant claims is:Y Y

1. A wax spreader comprising a frame, an axle mounted onV said frame near its base, a wheel on each end of said axle, a cradle on said frame for holding a pressure tank, a bracket pivotally mounted on said frame near the -axle and extending to one side of the axle, a straight spray tube mounted horizontally on said bracket and generally parallel to the axle, downwardly directed openings through Ythe Awall of said tube forv its entire length, an intake port intorsa'id tubeLa valve mounted on'said f frame, a ilexible tube connecting the delivery port of the valve to the port on Ythe spraytube, a spreading pad mounted on said bracket substantially parallel to said spray tube and coextensive in length, and means for holding-the pivoted bracket in xed relationship to the frame at one of a plurality of angles with respect to the frame. Y y

2. A waxspreader comprising an inverted, U-shaped frame, an axle mounted on the free ends of said frame, a wheel at each en d of said axle, an arcuate bandm'ount ed between Ythe arms of said frame so that an upright cylindricalV pressure tank may be supported on the axle and rest against the band, an arm pvotally mounted on agrava-a" the axle near each end, al straight `spray tube-rigidly mounted on the two arms and spaced from the arm ends substantially parallel to the axle and in a horizontal position, downwardly directed delivery ports in the wall of said spray tube, an intake port on said spray tube, a valve mounted on said frame, a exible conduit connecting the delivery port of the valve to the intake port of the spray tube, an elongated, downwardly directed pad mounted on the outer ends of said arms, said pad being coextensive in length with the spray/tube, a ratchet having notches mounted on the axle end of each arm, and a detent mounted on each arm of the frame and engagei able with a notch.v v

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,584,687 Ault Mayrll, 1926 2,566,624 Myers a Sept. 4, 1951` 2,778,046 Fisher Jan. 22, 1957 2,877,476 Kraszewski Mar. 17. 19,59 

